Cam-belt change

[DXX]

But those are the conditions it is designed for.

It is pretty much in their interest to have parts that don't last much longer than the warranty period. If an engine goes sizzle, that is great for them. Lots of replacement pipes/bolts/ and the 15k engine.

Maybe but you’d never buy another vehicle from that manufacturer

 

[whodat]

Don't think one manufacturer is much better than another at the moment.
There were only a couple of reasons I got the van I did.

Firstly, I contacted Stellantis and am still waiting for a reply on some of the specs of their vehicles. That was 18 months ago. Also at that time they had pretty much stopped selling diesel vehicles and were pushing their EV's which for me, at that time, wasn't what I was after. Mercedes vans have got shoddy recently. Nissan were mostly EV. Ford was wet belt.
Secondly, I wanted a certain seat config.
Thirdly, the only vehicle that fitted what I wanted at that time at a price only slightly over more than what I was willing to pay was the one I got.
I haven't any loyalty to VW. (Although my last one was a T4 but that didn't have any bearing on my choice of purchase of the T6.1)

Just to add, I'd never been so gently mugged as when I walked into that VW showroom. They literally saw me coming through those massive plate glass windows.

Anyway - back to the cambelt, if it was purely on mileage and someone is only doing a five thousand miles a year - is one cambelt really going to last the life of the van?

 

[MikeB]

Interesting - is this belt set-up a "wet belt"? 133k sounds excessive - especially on a low annual mileage vehicle. This said, until recently I had a V70 Volvo with the utterly superb 163 5 cyl engine on which the belt change was 108k / 10 years. They didn't even recommend that the water pump should be replaced.

 

[DXX]

It’s a dry belt.
The interval wasn’t increased it was decreased for the UK market for no justifiable reason other than we don’t physically check the belt condition during routine servicing.
It has now been reinstated to the same as the rest of Europe.
If there is a weakness it’s the electrically controlled shrouded water pump design, if this fails and seizes it snaps the timing belt.
However that would require VW admitting that the water pump is sub-standard and not fit for purpose and that won’t happen.

I have a 2001 A4 TDI with a 17 year / 112K miles old timing belt and water pump, no issues. I’m not planning on renewing it, the parts alone are double the value of the car.

 

[MikeB]

So, realistically, would the advice be to have the water pump changed on a regular basis. As you say, if it fails it's pretty disastrous anyway.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Interesting - is this belt set-up a "wet belt"? 133k sounds excessive - especially on a low annual mileage vehicle. This said, until recently I had a V70 Volvo with the utterly superb 163 5 cyl engine on which the belt change was 108k / 10 years. They didn't even recommend that the water pump should be replaced.

Begone with your wet belt heresy…he’s a witch…BURN HIM!!!!…….

 

[DXX]

So, realistically, would the advice be to have the water pump changed on a regular basis. As you say, if it fails it's pretty disastrous anyway.

I believe there have been many revisions, I’ve not heard of any failures recently.
If the water pump is being renewed it’s no more work to replace the timing belt.

There are many who throw money into unnecessary maintenance on the basis of what if. You wouldn’t dream of rewiring a house every 10 years just in case and the consequences are far higher.
There aren’t many dealers or mechanics out there who would say ‘no it’s fine, it doesn’t need replacing’ £££££££

 

[Sasquatch]

Interesting - is this belt set-up a "wet belt"? 133k sounds excessive - especially on a low annual mileage vehicle. This said, until recently I had a V70 Volvo with the utterly superb 163 5 cyl engine on which the belt change was 108k / 10 years. They didn't even recommend that the water pump should be replaced.

Im a Volvo man when im not in my T6.1 (currently a mk1 C70 T5, but in the past XC90 x 2, V70, 245)

Volvo water pumps use SKF bearings and stainless impeller- unless there is evidence of leakage or roughness Volvo only recommend the pump be replaced every 2nd belt change, potentially 20myears or 200 odd K miles.

Failure of a Volvo pump is pretty much unheard of. Conversely, garages who don't really know the 5 pot motors think theyre being clever when they up-sell a new water pump at belt time, but pattern pumps and belts have an horrendous failure rate. The quickest way to foxtrot a 5 pot Volvo motor is to not use genuine parts and not do exactly what Volvo say and when they say it.

 

[Bigsidavies]

The interval wasn’t increased it was decreased for the UK market for no justifiable reason other than we don’t physically check the belt condition during routine servicing.
It has now been reinstated to the same as the rest of Europe.
.

exactly the same was the case with my now deceased Skoda Octavia. Uk interval was I think 80k miles and Europe was 200k km, so about 120k miles.
Did mine at 115k and then some tool wrote it off while it was parked up shortly after.

 

[larfinboy]

Further update. I changed the cambelt and water pump, new coolant too, yesterday at VW Van Centre, West Yorkshire. £660 Inc VAT, with a 2 year guarantee. Didn't think that was too bad. Was told belt life 133k and no time period. I asked how the increased belt life had come about, recentlt changed from every 4 years to 133k miles. The service desk told me they believe the belt quality has been improved although wasn't certain of this (I had this told me by a local VW indie garage in Keighley too), but he also said it was due to criticism from low mileage California drivers who said it was lunacy they were changing belts every 4 years when they might only have done, say, 25k miles! Haha! Anyway, one thing less to worry about. Thanks everyone for your replies.

Thats not a bad price at all mate.. Down south we are being quoted £800 to 1k

 

[Cuiken]

I know this is widely discussed but the answer seems to be a moving target so figured I'd ask for concensus today.

On a 2018, 204ps T6, what is the timing belt interval?

I have seen answers ranging from 60k miles/4 years through to 133k miles with no time limit.

Two years ago I asked the dealership service centre and they said 100k miles and no time limit but last week they reverted to 100k miles or 4 years.

What's the official VW answer on this?

Thanks.

 

[Sasquatch]

I believe the 130k/no time limit is the answer.

In any event, at coming up on 8 years id be looking to get it changed if it were mine.

 

[Cuiken]

I believe the 130k/no time limit is the answer.

In any event, at coming up on 8 years id be looking to get it changed if it were mine.

Thanks, that's reassuring. It was last done at 44000 miles four years ago so (as per previous guidance) so should be good for years yet.

 

[mmi]

Camshaft drive toothed belt: check • Biturbo diesel engines • Engine code CXEC • Up to model year 2020

Every 160,000 km

Camshaft drive toothed belt: renew (inc. tension‐ing roller and idler rollers) • Up to model year 2020

Every 200,000 km

Source:
Transporter 2016 ➤, Transporter 2020 ➤ Maintenance - Edition 01.2023

---

In "dusty" regions respectively 40000 km and 120000 km.

2.3.5 Countries with high levels of dust
E.g. Australia

 

[Cuiken]

No mention of elapsed time. Sounds good to me. I've given VW far ytoo much money over the years based on the age of my car's timing belts.

 

[Sasquatch]

Thanks, that's reassuring. It was last done at 44000 miles four years ago so (as per previous guidance) so should be good for years yet.

Aye, mileage notwithstanding id be happy for another 4 years.